Surge of voters turn out in Pa. for Hillary, Barack

April 22, 2008

6c43589feccb2fb96966f3e9613a787d

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A senior citizen set out at dawn Tuesday to be first in line to vote for a black president, while excited college students endured lines 20-deep to cast their first ballots in Pennsylvania’s high-stakes Democratic primary.

Election officials reported huge turnout around the state, with voters queuing up at schools and firehouses from West Philadelphia to the working-class Pittsburgh suburb of Bellevue. The election capped a furious six-week campaign by rival Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama.

“I had to be here to vote, and I pray that Obama does make a big change in a very positive way,” said Sarah Triplett, a black woman from Levittown who called herself “65-plus” and works with the disabled.

Penn State student Colin Cwalina, 19, wore his loyalties on his sleeve: He sported a “Hillary 2008” T-shirt at the polls in State College. But he felt outnumbered among his peers.

Advertisement

“To be honest, Barack Obama has a cult” following on campus, Cwalina said.

Nonpartisan voter-turnout groups cheered people in the University City section of Philadelphia — many of them students — who waited a half-hour to vote at 4 p.m.

“I have never seen a polling book this thick,” said Sheryl Simons, a poll worker in the ward, whose voters include college professors, students and lower-income city residents. “The debates and the candidates coming to campus has really heightened interest.”

Obama, an Illinois senator, has trailed Clinton, a New York senator, by a small margin in Pennsylvania polls in recent weeks.

Many voters in University City had registered in just the last month or two, Simons said. More than 300 people had voted by 4 p.m., more than double that of a typical presidential primary.

“I want a Democrat in the White House, and I think Barack has the best chance,” said Jason Eldridge, 20, a former Drexel University student. “He’s got charisma, and I think he could convert Republicans in swing states.”

A record number of Democrats had registered statewide, posing isolated problems when their names could not be found on the official rolls. Some were able to cast provisional ballots, voter advocacy groups said.

Meanwhile, the group Voter Action had sought a court order to keep polls open until 10 p.m. in Philadelphia amid complaints about long lines at eight polling places and a lack of emergency ballots to replace malfunctioning machines. A judge denied the request at about 6 p.m., said John Bonifaz, a Voter Action attorney.

Cindy Wiedl, 50, a full-time student at Harrisburg Area Community College, stood before the voting machine for several minutes before choosing Obama, based in part on his pledge in a Tuesday morning television interview to help working people.

Her husband, Anthony Wiedl, a 55-year-old supermarket cashier, voted for Clinton, but said he, too, “kept listening to what Barack was saying, and the wheels were turning.”

The sustained party split worries Katia McKiver, 35, a flight attendant who voted for Obama in Lower Macungie Township, near Allentown.

“The longer it goes on, the more division will be created and it will be great for the Republicans,” said McKiver, who said she would vote for Clinton if she is the nominee.

The primary is the first test of the candidates’ strength in six weeks, and will decide the allocation of 158 delegates — the largest bloc of delegates still up for grabs.

The candidates spent millions of dollars on TV advertising in recent weeks and squared off in Philadelphia for the 21st debate of their campaign.

Many voters said they reached decisions only after watching the debates, studying the candidates’ Web sites or attending a campaign event. But psychotherapist Kathleen Gavin said Clinton, the former first lady, earned her vote “10 years ago.”

“I don’t think he (Obama) has the experience, the wisdom or the presence that Hillary has,” said Gavin, 44, of Allentown.

Democrats dominated the turnout even in Republican strongholds like Lower Macungie. More than 100 of the first 120 voters who showed up Tuesday in the Allentown suburb were Democrats.

But Andy Shink, 34, of Bellevue, turned out Tuesday for McCain.

“He won’t raise taxes as much as the Democrats,” the married financial adviser said, “and we all pay too many taxes right now.”

Associated Press Writers JoAnn Loviglio in Philadelphia, Bob Lentz in Levittown, Marc Levy in Susquehanna Township, Michael Rubinkam in Lower Macungie Township, Genaro Armas in State College and Ramesh Santanam in Bellevue contributed to this report.